Do you know folks near Austin, Texas struggling to pay their electricity bills? Could you help me connect? I'm writing about rising electricity costs in Texas and heat-related illnesses. I want to speak with people who are working full-time and are struggling to pay their electricity bills. 1/3 🧵

(93) Is the boom in toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT built on a false history? Colorado’s new law lays groundwork for ibogaine access themicrodose.substack.com/p/is-the-boo...

Is the boom in toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT built on a false history? Colorado’s new law lays groundwork for ibogaine access

Plus: Study finds personality traits may shape the intensity of psychedelic sensory experiences

themicrodose.substack.com

Scientific American is being sold to LabX Media, publisher of Discover: group.springernature.com/gp/group/med... They've fired me and other union staff, ahead of June 26 vote ratification. My rates are suddenly more reasonable, if you need editing or reporting - Argonaut2026@gmail.com

Save the Date: Join the Freelance Committee next month, on July 2, for a #SciWriBiz chat on business insurance. Guest speaker Jonathan Gray, Director of Benefits and Member Services at the Freelancers Union will share insights + tips. Learn more about the July 2 event:

Virtual business chat: Small business insurance 101

The NASW Freelance Committee virtual meetup on July 2 will be a business chat on business insurance. Speaker Jonathan Gray of the Freelancers Union will explain the different types of business insurance, their pros and cons, how to find insurance providers, and other practical tips. And we’ll allow plenty of time for him to answer your questions.

nasw.org

Deadlines for two CASW awards are coming up! ▶️ The Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award, for a science journalist under the age of 31 ▶️ The Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting Help us spread the word, and submit your application here: casw.submittable.com/submit

In this @nature.com QA, cognitive scientist Félix Schoeller explains how a creative use of AI might help better train human facilitators for psychedelic drug therapy and clinical trials. As told to @robinberghaus.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...

How we’re using AI tools to improve psychedelic-drug research

Félix Schoeller’s team built a realistic artificial-intelligence chatbot to train facilitators needed for research into psychoactive drugs — and, ultimately, to improve public health.

nature.com

Science journalists: we are putting together the annual Pitch Slam for the @sciencewriters.org meeting this September! Who are your dream editors to work with? Send us suggestions and we'll see who we can get to come to the meeting:)

Félix Schoeller shared with @nature.com how his team built a realistic #AI chatbot to improve #psychedelic therapy training. In doing so, they learned about public health issues and ways to improve psychedelic research. www.nature.com/articles/d41... Thank you 🙏 @kendallsciwrite.bsky.social

How we’re using AI tools to improve psychedelic-drug research

Félix Schoeller’s team built a realistic artificial-intelligence chatbot to train facilitators needed for research into psychoactive drugs — and, ultimately, to improve public health.

nature.com

Great coverage ofTrump’s psychedelics executive order and how Texas inspired (and may benefit from) it themicrodose.substack.com/p/trumps-psy...

Trump’s psychedelics executive order and how Texas inspired (and may benefit from) it

Editor’s Note: Join me in welcoming Robin Berghaus, an Austin, Texas based freelance journalist, audio and documentary producer whose work has appeared on NPR at international film festivals, on PBS, ...

themicrodose.substack.com

Help craft the craft-propose a session for our annual conference! ScienceWriters2026 is a meeting for science writers, by science writers, and we want it to reflect *your* interests. Submit your idea by March 10: www.nasw.org/article... Learn what makes a great session: www.nasw.org/page/ho...

Submit a session proposal for ScienceWriters2026

Propose your great ideas for NASW sessions and plenaries and for CASW’s “Science + Science Writing” panel discussions at ScienceWriters2026. Help make our program relevant and timely, designed by science writers, for science writers.

nasw.org

Traveling for a story requires access and money. In TON’s latest story, @bwfund.bsky.social‬ early-career fellow @skylerdware.bsky.social talks to @virginiagewin.bsky.social and others for tips on finding the funding and more. 🧪

Getting Yourself on the Scene: How to Fund and Plan Field-Reporting Trips - The Open Notebook

Field reporting brings color and context to a story that are often impossible to capture from afar. But getting yourself on the scene is no easy task. Intrepid reporters must battle competitive grant ...

theopennotebook.com

The fellowship was a career highlight, a unique opportunity to dive deep into the science, history, and legal issues of psychedelics. I developed a podcast series, wrote several feature articles, and expanded my network of colleagues and mentors.

UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics@scipsychedelics.bsky.social · 9mo ago

🚨CALLING ALL JOURNALISTS 🚨 Ten $10,000 reporting grants will be awarded to journalists reporting in-depth print and audio stories on the science, policy, business and culture of this new era of psychedelics. fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/bcsp/

👋 Call for sources: My name is Julia Métraux, and I am @motherjones.com disability reporter. I am working on a series (to be published before May 1) profiling three American aging adults (50+) about how you're aging independently while taking care of your health. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Aging with complex chronic illnesses and disabilities at home

Hi! My name is Julia Métraux, and I am Mother Jones' disability reporter. I am working on a series (to be published before May 1) profiling three American aging adults (50+) about how you're aging ind...

docs.google.com

Freelancer journalists: FYI @indiejournalists.bsky.social has a two-day online conference March 5-6, 2026. They are currently offering a $49 early bird registration.

Need help evaluating whose expertise to trust? Our tip sheet for vetting and finding relevant scientific sources, written with @theopennotebook.bsky.social, can help reporters to determine if an expert is the right fit for their news story. bit.ly/46i1H4q

IDA is hiring a full-time assistant editor for Documentary Magazine. The role is based in Los Angeles.

International Documentary Association (IDA)@documentary.org · 11mo ago

Learn more and apply at documentary.org/assistant-ed...

Show your support for science news and reach hundreds of attendees by sponsoring ScienceWriters, the largest convening of science journalists and communicators in North America. Opportunities start at just $350! View the sponsorship menu: sciencewriters2025.o...

Nine former CDC directors: Americans should be alarmed. Their health and lives are in danger. Gift link 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2025/09/01/o...

Opinion | We Ran the C.D.C.: Kennedy Is Endangering Every American’s Health

nytimes.com

I'm a science journalist for @statnews.com looking to talk with folks who applied to biomedical Ph.D. programs and had offers rescinded earlier this year. What have you been up to since then? You can reach me at jonathan.wosen@statnews.com or via Signal (username jwosen.27). #journorequest

Writers, bring your 1-minute pitches for live feedback from editors on November 9 @1:30pm in Chicago at Pitch Slam. @sciencewriters.org #NASW #SciWri25 🔗View the program 👇 sciencewriters2025.org 🖥️ Registration opens September 4. 🧵1/3

NOW LIVE: the program for #SciWri25 which looks amazing. If you need financial assistance to travel to Chicago in November (or attend the virtual components in October), you MUST APPLY by August 28. sciencewriters2025.org/grants/

National Association of Science Writers (NASW)@sciencewriters.org · last yr.

JUST AROUND THE BEND: #SciWri25 program launch! Together w/ @sciencewriting.bsky.social we're getting ready to debut a new conference website and a program that's full of events for science writers, by science writers. Visit sciencewriters2025.org on Aug 12 for the reveal Registration opens Sept 4

Scientists: what types of federal agency data collection, research reports, or analyses are not getting done due to funding cuts or layoffs? Re-posts appreciated.

@axios.com says our "Psychedelics and the Texas Trip" podcast is "worthy of your time" and explains why Texas is investing in psychedelic therapy research. 📻 🎧 Listen on @texaspublicradio.bsky.social www.tpr.org/psychedelics 🔗 Apple and Spotify links are in the comments

Robin Berghaus@robinberghaus.bsky.social · last yr.

Psychedelics and the Texas Trip is live on @texaspublicradio.bsky.social. The three-part podcast series explores the complex history of psychedelics, their potential health benefits and risks, and why they’re mostly illegal in the U.S. and how that’s changing. 🔗 Links are in the comments.

running a non-profit is never easy and it’s only getting tougher — right when we need journalism the most, amidst the gutting of federal science funding and agencies. please donate to support the future of science journalism 👇🏽

The Open Notebook@theopennotebook.bsky.social · last yr.

Our summer fundraiser starts today and we have a goal of $3,000. Every gift helps. If TON’s work has mattered to you, please consider donating. 👉 [Yes! I’ll support The Open Notebook today!]

Psychedelics and the Texas Trip is live on @texaspublicradio.bsky.social. The three-part podcast series explores the complex history of psychedelics, their potential health benefits and risks, and why they’re mostly illegal in the U.S. and how that’s changing. 🔗 Links are in the comments.

if you don’t have a tip, please consider sharing this post. (either here or elsewhere.) someone who may have a tip could see it.

Melody Joy Kramer@mkramer.bsky.social · last yr.

you can contact @propublica.org securely. www.propublica.org/tips/

The final ep of Petrie Dish: Psychedelics & the Texas Trip from @texaspublicradio.bsky.social is up! From the legislature in Austin to a peyote ranch in Rio Grande City, this ep is full of great information. Reporter @robinberghaus.bsky.social joined us & did great work. www.tpr.org/podcast/petr...

Psychedelics and the Texas Trip Part 3: The Road Ahead

In the final installment of this three-part series, Bonnie Petrie and reporter Robin Berghaus go from an isolated stretch of desert along the Rio Grande, where wild peyote grows, to the exuberant room...

tpr.org

“If you want to study drugs that have been criminalized by our government, you must be fearless” https://go.nature.com/42vvEvR

My fight to unlock cannabis and psychedelic drugs for use in medical research

Physician Sue Sisley battles to study cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms for pain, addiction and PTSD.

go.nature.com

👇🏻 @nature.com profile on Sue Sisley dives into her legal & advocacy battles with federal agencies and state lawmakers and the successful struggle to move her science forward for PTSD, addiction and hospice patients. Excellent reporting by @robinberghaus.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...

My fight to unlock cannabis and psychedelic drugs for use in medical research

Physician Sue Sisley battles to study cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms for pain, addiction and PTSD.

nature.com

Dr. Sue Sisley shares with @nature.com her years-long fight to study banned #psychoactive drugs — #cannabis and #psilocybin — as treatments for #pain, #addiction, and #PTSD. Thank you @kendallsciwrite.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...

My fight to unlock cannabis and psychedelic drugs for use in medical research

Physician Sue Sisley battles to study cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms for pain, addiction and PTSD.

nature.com